When Jaden Hutson graduated from Heritage Academy last year, he had his sights set on a military academy.  

His first attempt didn’t go the way he hoped, but the second did. 

Hutson, a Villages resident who recently turned 20, will report to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York on June 28. The academy has a 12.4% acceptance rate 

He applied to the Air Force Academy during his senior year but wasn’t accepted. Rather than give up, Hutson spent a gap year raising his ACT score and getting in better physical shape. 

“It was exciting and relieving,” he said.  

The acceptance into the prestigious academy puts him on a clear path for the next nine years, including four years at West Point.  

Hutson also received a nudge from U.S. Eli Crane’s office. During the nomination process, staffers questioned why Hutson was only applying to one military academy. They suggested he cast a wider net. 

In the end, West Point ended up being the one that said yes. 

His mother, Judit Hutson, said watching her son put in the work made the acceptance more rewarding. 

“He studied to improve his ACT score and worked hard on his physical fitness,” she said. “As a parent, it’s rewarding to see that hard work pay off.” 

Hutson’s advice to students considering a military academy: don’t stop after one rejection. 

“If you get declined the first time, just keep applying,” he said. “Most people I’ve talked to said it took them three or four attempts [to be accepted].”